DocData3D
Starke, FL
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Who here has caravanned to Alaska? Then who feels strongly it was worth the cost and who does not?
Dave
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janechucknicodemus
Oregon
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Dave, we have not $$$$$, so being retired we decided to go it on our own. Every where. We have been to Mexico camping 2 times and for a duration of 3-5 months each, and I do speak some of the languages so it helped out. Going to AK. Is a bit different it is US soil , but travel on foreign soil a lot of the way.
Any way if you are not too experienced and have enough money . It would be a great way to introduce yourself to the travel.
We have always been independent enough to do it our selves. We are going in the early spring to Soldonta to host a park, never been to AK before. So a great time to learn.
Do what you wish, there are a lot of books on the travel and The Milepost is the best bet.
What ever you decide you will enjoy.
* This post was
edited 01/26/12 01:48pm by an administrator/moderator *
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Dick_B
Palos Heights, IL USA
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I did not caravan to Alaska but did take Adventure Caravans tour of the Western Parks.
It is worth the cost if: you have the money and prefer to have someone else worry about choosing the itinerary, campgrounds, local tours, etc.
However, for many they do not have the money and/or prefer to control all of the above items themselves.
You will get both sides. Only you can decide if it is worth the $.
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
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sh410
Northwest
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On our Alaska trip, we chose not to go on one of the caravan tours, because of the expense. At Dawson we were in a campground that was the starting point of a caravan. Met several of the people.
From Dawson to Whitehorse, we met the same people at each campground along the way. For them, the campground reservation were already made, tours arranged etc. The caravan leaders look out for their group, If someone has trouble, they are there to help with small repairs or get assistance for more serious problems. The caravan travelers tend to stay within their own group. Outsiders are not invited to their evening functions. Which is reasonable.
For us, we did that for ourselves. But we did meet many other folks along the way doing it like we did. We got to boondock in areas they could not. They may have learned something about the areas in their evening funtion from the wagonmasters that we missed.
Either way, the trip was enjoyable to us, and those folks we talked to on the caravans enjoyed it too.
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kedanie
Albuquerque, NM
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We did a mini caravan last summer with one other couple. Even with that, we found that we were compromising at times. When we go again, we'll go it alone and do the things that we choose to do.
Keith
Keith, Gloria & Charlie(Spoiled Rotten Boston Terrier)
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RoadLife
Alabama
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You are getting a lot of "no caravan" answers, and this is another one. We thought about it, there are a lot of great companies and they offer a great service. But we realized we would not like having to get up at a certain time, follow a schedule and itinerary. We really like to wake up when we wake up (or the dogs make us get us) and not to the clang of an alarm clock. If we want to stay somewhere for a few weeks ok. If we don't like it, we can move.
For some folks, the scheduled itinerary works just fine. I've read quite a few posts where folks had a superb time and would go back again.
So think about your preferred style, and if it fits, go for it!!
ROADLIFE
RoadLife to Alaska Blog
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gbopp
The Keystone State
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We've never done it and I doubt we will. I like the choice to be able to stop and explore whenever, wherever and for as long as I want.
But, we all have our likes and dislikes.
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skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
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I think it all depends on YOU and how YOU would get along having your trip dictated to you by someone else. For me I would NEVER consider it because if I like a place I may choose to stay and if I don't I will certainly choose to leave. I MUCH prefer to travel where my own desires are all that need be considered in decisions. It's just a personal decision that each must make.
Good luck / Skip
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Veebyes
Bermuda & Maryland
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As far as going to Alaska & picking routes go, there is not much choice. You can do Alaska clockwise or anticlockwise. There really are not that many roads. You can't get lost. For such a huge state it is surprising how often you see the same travelers.
If you like cruising, you will most likely enjoy caravaning. Everything is figured out for you. You lose the independence that going it alone gives. You are most likely to go to FHU parks. The gems of Alaska are the SPs or dry camping wherever your wheels stop. I don't think CGs like Teklaneka 30 miles into Denali NP are on many caravan itinerarys.
We have done Alaska twice. Both times on our own but both times doing sections & tours with others met along the way.
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jmcarp
Colorado
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We did it on our own, and never had second thoughts or concerns. We enjoyed setting our own itinerary and time schedule, camping in smaller state and provincial parks or boondocking. I realize not everyone feels secure in such a scenario, but we never felt insecure for a minute. An alternative to caravaning is to link up with one or two others and travel together. That can be as formal as setting a group itinerary and doing everything together, or as informal as saying "we'll meet you tonight (or tomorrow night) at _____" and going your own way for the day. As others have said, you'll meet plenty of people time and time again, and may even mini-caravan with them for a few days. We met a wonderful couple from Whitehorse while in Dawson City, and traveled informally with them for the next few days into Alaska. They even invited us to stay with them at their home when we passed through Whitehorse on the return trip.
I think a lot of people use caravans to ensure that they have reservations for every night they're on the road. FWIW, the only places we made advance campground reservations were at Denali and Skagway, and we made those only one day in advance. The only place we found the campground full when we arrived was the main campground at Waterton Lakes N.P. in Alberta. Just set your own schedule, arrive at mid-afternoon, and you'll probably find a spot without any problems.
Jim
'04 Provan Tiger CX
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